Gospel-love, heart-purity, and the flourishing of the righteous being the last sermon of the…

And it may give you a further confirmation by way of Instruction, concerning that great truth, in Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that serve God, and are the called according to his purpose. All things work together for good. What things? Troubles, afflictions, pressures, burdens which are laid upon them, they work for good. Why, this is one of the greatest goods that can be, to have grace flourish and grow. Faith and Humility, and Love to Jesus Christ, if one increase in these things. What is worthy the name of good, in comparison of an increase of these things. That's one thing we may take notice of from it.

Secondly, We should be hence raised up in our hearts, to magnify the power, wisdom and goodness of God, who doth thus over-rule these things for his people: for certainly this doth declare the wonderful work of God. In Isa. 28. where he hath a ⟨p. 116⟩notable Allegory, and speaks of the troubles and sufferings of the faithful people of God: For all that that is spoken of the Ploughman, and of the Thresher, and of the bruising of the Corn with threshing Instruments, they do respect affliction and troubles which come upon the people of God, (as is clear.) But now, saith he, in the close of that Chapter, This also cometh from the Lord of Hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. We may wonder at the counsel and wisdom of God, who doth his people good by threshing them, and bringing the wheel over them. Here are several sorts of afflictions and sufferings, some lesser, and some greater. Now all this is but to separate the good seed from the chaff, and to make it more fit for use: for while the Corn is in the ear, it is not fit for use, and we cannot make bread of it until it be threshed. Now the Lord hath several ways to do it. But saith he, ⟨p. 117⟩This cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. Truly we may say, How wonderful is the counsel of the Lord! How excellent is his working, that he makes the Righteous to flourish like the Palm-tree; to grow upwards, by that which one would think should bring them down! As when we fee the Corn laid at, and threshed with a Flail, one would think there were great hurt intended to the Corn; but it is only to separate it from the chaff, that it may appear in its own beauty and usefulness. So the Lord hath a flail of tribulation, to separate the Chaff from the Wheat. Those acts of Providence towards Gods people, which seem to be for their hurt and undoing, when they are threshed as it were by the world, it is only to make them appear what they are. That which we find in